Indians can't make mistakes

The scene: With the Tigers ahead 4-2, Casey Blake of the Indians led off with a double.

Grady Sizemore hit a fly ball to left field, and for some reason, Blake decided to tag up and go to third . . .

He then realized that it's not a smart play to go to third on a fly ball to left . . .

So, he decided to go back to second base . . .

Too late; he was tossed out.

We don't know if Coco Crisp or Jhonny Peralta--the next two hitters--would have knocked in Blake.

We do know that it was not the kind of mistake that the Indians can afford to make as September dawns. They are in the playoff hunt. Every game, every inning and, sometimes, even every step or misstep counts. If they end a game short of the Sox in the Central, this will be a night they remember.

Blake admitted, "It wasn't a very good play."

He's like a man who is driving to work, five minutes from the office and not due to start for 15 minutes. But he runs the red light anyway. The police pull him over and 30 minutes later and $100 poorer, he finally arrives at work.

Then he wonders, "Just what was my hurry?"

Understand that Blake cares deeply. He paid serious dues to finally stick in the big leagues with the Tribe after seven seasons in the minors. In the past 29 games, he's hitting .337. That raised his overall average to .248 with 17 homers and 44 RBI. He also has 26 doubles. Blake has some power. He has made a smooth adjustment to right field.

But no matter how you spin the numbers, only a run to the playoffs will save this season from being a disappointment. Some fans want another right fielder, but Wedge has few alternatives. Jeff Leifer is the only other possibility, but he's hitting .200 in 55 at-bats. There's no one ready in the minor leagues, including Franklin Gutierrez.

The Indians need Blake at his sharpest. He can't compound his frustration with mental mistakes on the bases. Neither can anyone else.

If the Indians do make the playoffs, it will be because they win close games. This is not the way to do it.